Accessing copper broadband

[Crofter10]

I live in a very remote area, Outer Hebrides, look at the map of the UK we are the last big chain of islands before you hit North America!

Neither BT, or anyone else, will install a fibre connection and we have to rely on either the local school (20 miles away) or use 4 G on phones/tablets which can be iffy due to weather and atmospheric conditions.

After many years, and a formal complaint, BT eventually informed me that it is possible to use "Copper broadband" which I recall from the early years of the internet when I was working on the mainland before coming home. 

However, trying to find details of how to get a quote and other information appears nowhere on the BT pages. I would prefer to do all this by email as I am hard of hearing and have difficulty understanding some accents on the telephone. In addition, using my phone as a hotspot can be tricky and very time consuming so sometimes I have to travel the 20 miles to my local school to use their PC's when reception is dodgy. Simple tasks like this one of posting a message can be very time consuming.

Can anyone suggest contacts, apart from customer services that I would have to explain the situation to for the umteeth time, for me to start to get this going?  

Thanks for any help. 

[rbz5416]

If you put your phone number in here it will tell you what services are available:

https://www.broadbandchecker.btwholesale.com/#/ADSL

Feel free to post a screenshot with your number removed.

If it's nothing usable then you may be able to improve 4G with an external aerial feeding a 4G router. This Ofcom checker will give an indication of who is likely to provide the best coverage indoors. But you'll need to test with a PAYG SIM to be certain.

https://checker.ofcom.org.uk/en-gb/mobile-coverage

[garybs29]

The info is easy to find under the broadband section on the BT website, put your postcode in on this page https://www.bt.com/products/broadband/deals & you'll see what's available. Only difference is if there's no physical line to the property then that will likely have to be installed first before you're able to see what's available

[Crofter10]

Thanks for the comment. I appear to be back where I started a number of years ago and I have been assured by BT that the problem would be solved. It appears that I do not exist despite paying BT a phone bill for about 30 years!

I still get the following message:

Sorry, we can't find results for your address at the moment

We're updating our systems and we hope this will be fixed soon.

I raised this specific issue with BT a number of years ago and was given great assurances, in writing, that the issue of my non existence would be solved. As you can see from the above  I am still a figment of my own imagination!

BT: MAKING THE WORLD A MORE DISCONNECTED PLACE

[rbz5416]

Where are you seeing that message? It would be odd to see an address error returned for a phone number lookup.

Does the address on your BT bill match exactly that on Royal Mail's database?

https://www.royalmail.com/find-a-postcode

[DavidM]

Hi @Crofter10 and welcome.

I'm sorry you're having problems getting connected. If the address matches the Royal Mail web site as @rbz5416 has mentioned I'll be happy to take a look at this for you. I'll need a few details so I'll drop you over a private message now so you can get in touch.

Cheers

David

[Crofter10]

Hi David

Out of curiosity just tried a check again on my postcode HS8 5NZ and the reply from BT is still

Sorry, we can't find results for your address at the moment

We're updating our systems and we hope this will be fixed soon.

So despite Royal Mail thinking we exist and confirming that fact online BT still thinks I don't exist. 

Does this mean as I do not exist I can receive a full refund of my bills for the past 20+ years? 

Frank

[DavidM · Accepted solution]

Hi @Crofter10 ,

Thanks for sending over the details. I'm sorry for the delay in getting back. I've checked the address etc and I'm sorry but at this time we can't provide any type of broadband to your address. 

You might get help at Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband.

Cheers

David